Multi-aperture core



D- R. BENNION MULTI-APERTURE CORE April 4, 1967 4 Sheets-$hee t 1 Filed July 16, 1963 zmmll I 12 M (man a l2 1 UT i Mwmum em:- ou-rPuT OUTP L ah? 1 NO RMALIZED N01! No.2

INVENTOR. DAVID R. BENNION April 4, 1967 Filed July l6,- 1963 4 sheets-shed INVENTOR. DAVID R BEuNloN BY D. R. BENNION 3,312,959 I MULTl-APERTURE CORE v April 4, 1967 D. R. BENNION 3,312,959

MULTI-APERTURE CORE Filed July 16. 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTOR. lDAvm RBI-:umom

April 4, 1967 p. R. BENNION 3,312,959

MULTI-APERTURE CORE Filed July 16, 1965 ADV.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UTlLlTY I94 U'rluw DEvncE DAVID R. Bzmuou BY ML W United States Patent Ofiiice 3,312,959 Patented. Apr. 4, 1967 3,312,959 MULTI-APERTURE CORE David R. Beunion, Meulo Park, Calif., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed July 16, 1963, Ser. No. 295,497 18 Claims. (Cl. 340-174) This invention relates to an improved multi-aperture magnetic core, and particularly to an improved core geometry adaptable to a wide variety of circuit applications.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a multi-aperture magnetic core incorporating in an integral structure distinctly different input and/or output characteristics.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved multi-aperture magnetic core having a geometry answering the special needs of different intelligence manipulation and logic circuits.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a universal multi-aperture magnetic core having characteristics compatible with a broad range of existing magnetic core circuits and devices.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a universal multi-aperture magnetic core which is readily producible with existing manufacturing techniques and magnetic material.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an improved multi-aperture core structure designed to facilitate the incorporation of circuit wiring.

The principal uses of multi-aperture magnetic cores lies in the general area of intelligence manipulation wherein signals in binary form are transferred in a controlled manner on a core-to-core basis in accordance with a particular function to be achieved. For example, one typical use is in circuits which serve as buffers for temporary storage, in telemetering or production control systems. A further use is in circuits whichperform the various logic functions required by computers and ofiice equipment.

In all such uses, two basic problems exist with respect to the operation of the multi-aperture core. These are related to the transmission and reception mechanism of the core with respect to intelligence signal definition over a satisfactory range of environmental conditions. While a part of each problem is related to the circuits accomplishing input and output and, additionally, the circuits utilized" to drive the cores, a very basic problem exists with respect to the core, its configuration, fiux content and operation in responding to the magnetomotive forces imposed thereon and in producing the magnetomotive forces developed as the core is swithced.

One answer of the prior art has been to develop specialized core shapes with a given core tailored to meet given input or output requirements. Thus, with respect to shift registers having an RF read-out requirement, a multi-aperture core having a geometry to facilitate readout may be used. In cases wherein a magnetic core device is supplied directly from some relatively well regulated input device, a specialized core featuring input clipping is used. In still other cases wherein signal discrimination is important, still other core shapes are employed. In summary, a wide variety of core shapes and configurations are used with each core designed to accommodate a particular requirement.

As an alternative imposed by the high cost of providing a variety of specialized core shapes, the prior art practice has been to accept a compromise in core operation and utilize a standard core which is but barely satisfactory with respect to the defined characteristics for each of the different transmitting and receiving functions employed in present day core system. Even so, relatively complicated circuits are employed in an attempt to improve the intrinsically poor operation incident with such use. The present invention provides a novel core geometry incorporating distinctly diiferent features into a single integral structure whereby each of a particular circuit requirements may be better answered Without substantial compromise to either circuit or core operation. The core of the invention includes features which optimize the particular flux transfer necessary for each of the input and output situations most frequently employed. Apart from magnetic considerations, the core of the invention additionally features a configuration which is compatible with the production wiring techniques presently employed. Thus, the core of the invention offers functional and/ or production advantages to substantially all basic core circuits such as shift registers, counters and logic devices including specialized requirements such as serial or parallel input and output, RF read-out and the like.

In accordance with the present invention, a core geometry is provided with a single centrally disposed major aperture and five minor apertures spaced thereabout. The core cross sectional area and magnetic material employed is such as to provide a flux content particularly suited to existing wiring practices in consideration of available power supplies. Eachof the core minor apertures is of a controlled diameter to provide distinct cross sectional areas at possible points of input and output to the core. This feature makes it possible to select a given aperture with respect to the particular requirements of different types of input and output operations and combinations thereof. The relative positioning of the minor apertures is made to facilitate the incorporation of numbers of cores into circuits in a manner compatible with existing techniques.

\ The examples shown and described in the present application are intended to enable those skilled in the art to not only practice the invention, but also to build reasonable equivalents including multi-aperture core geometries having a different arrangement of input and output minor apertures particularized to required functions. This will be made apparent by the following description when taken in. conjunction with drawings of a preferred mode of practicing the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of an exemplary core geometry having physical characteristics in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE la is a cross section taken along lines 1A-1A of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the core of FIGURE 1 in conjunction with schematic representations of possible advance, prime and output windings included to explain the operation of the core;

FIGURE 2a is a plan view of the core of FIGURE 1 in conjunction with schematic representations of possible input windings;

FIGURE 3 is a plot of output and input characteristics in terms of voltage levels as a function of time and flux quantities, respectively, associated with each of the minor apertures of the core of FIGURE I wound as in FIG- URES 2 and 2a;

FIGURE 4 is an end-on elevation view of a possible arrangement of the core of the invention in shift register use;

FIGURES 5 and 5a are top and bottom plan views, respectively, of the device shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 are end-on elevational views, each showing alternative core orientations for distinct circuit uses; and

FIGURE 9 is a schematic diagram included to show a possible use of the core of the invention wherein each of the minor apertures thereof are employed to achieve their specialized function.

Turning now to a detailed description of the invention, FIGURES 1 and 1a show views of the novel geometry of the core of the invention enlarged approximately seven times actual size. Core 10 includes a central aperture 12 and five minor apertures identified as Nos. 1-5. The core 10 is of a thickness T which is substantially constant and includes a major leg L extending between apertures also substantially constant to provide a cross sectional area L T of a given flux capacity. Proximate each of the minor apertures the leg width L is split into branches such as L shown with respect to aperture No. 5 with shaping provided to make the net cross sectional area of magnetic material through each aperture equal to 2T(L,,) such as to provide a distinct flux capacity dependent on L where n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.

The shaping about each aperture is such that the cross sectional area through any of the enlarged portions would be substantially equal to that of any other enlarged portion, but for the minor apertures. Thus, by providing apertures of different sizes, the net cross sectional area of material proximate each aperture is controlled to yield a distinctly different flux capacity as desired. With respect to core 10, apertures N0. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 are of different sizes; aperture No. 1 being larger than aperture N0. 4 and smaller than aperture No. 5. Apertures No. 2 and No. 3 are of substantially equal size and smaller than aperture No. 5 but larger than either aperture No. 1 or No. 4. Because of this, the amount of magnetic material and hence net flux capacity through the various sections of the core proximate each aperture is such that the flux capacity at aperture No. 5 is less than that at apertures 1, 2, 3, and 4; the flux capacity at aperture No. 4 is greater than that at apertures No. 1, 2, 3 and 5; the flux capacities at aperture 1 are greater than that at apertures No. 2 and 3 but have flux capacities as close as possible to being equal. The flux capacity at aperture No. '5 is made less than that of the core legs L and the flux capacity at apertures No. 2 and No. 3 is made substantially equal to that of legs L.

In an actual core constructed in accordance with the invention, a slip of magnetic material was first die formed and pressed from magnetic ferrite powder and then fired in accordance with usual hard ferrite manufacturing techniques. The material employed was that of the Indiana General Corp. of Valparaiso, Indiana, identified as their material No. 5209. The nominal dimensions of the core in inches were as follows:

The shaping of core with respect to the eared portions provided on the outside of the core at aperture No. 5, on the inside at apertures No. 1 and 4, and on the inside and outside at apertures No. 2 and 3, apart from considerations of maintaining distinct cross sectional area of magnetic material, serve other functions.

Apertures No. 2 and 3 and also aperture No. 5 are more suitable for output use as each is provided with an outer leg which defines a longer major path than the major paths including the outer legs of apertures No. 1 and 4. This provides a lower elastic zero level and thereby adds an operational advantage to the advantage of convenience of using an outer leg for wiring coupling loops. Apertures No. 1 and 4 having a shorter outer leg major path are better suited for input apertures by permitting a greater elastic clipping. The foregoing does not preclude the use of any aperture for input or output.

The significance of the particular core geometry above described, along with the essence of the invention, may be more fully brought to mind by reviewing the operatlon of core 10 and the individual apertures thereof with respect to input and output operation. Referring now to FIGURE 2, core 10 is shown with various possible minor aperture output windings 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, threading the output legs respectively of apertures numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Additionally threading each of the apertures in order are prime windings 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38. Threading the major aperture 12 is an additional winding 39 which serves as a clearing winding and operates when energized to drive core 10 into negative saturation. FIGURE 2a depicts core 10 with various possible input windings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 49 linking apertures numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and the major aperture 12, respectively. The articular current senses and polarities of the windings shown linking core 10 should make it apparent that the circuit chosen to exemplify the advantages of the core of the invention is that of the standard MAD-R (Multi-aperture Device-Resistance) type device. Examples of multi-aperture core devices employing MAD-R techniques may be found in US. Patent No. 2,995,731, granted August 8, 1961, to J. P. Sweeney and US. Patent No. 3,081,453, granted March 12, 1963, to Dr. David Nitzan. Briefly summarized with respect to the core circuits shown in FIGURES 2 and 2a, the MAD-R technique utilizes the magnetization state of negative saturation as the clear or zero state and the state of half positive, half negative saturation as the set or one state. With respect to the core 10, the clear or zero state would be depicted schematically by flux arrow diagrams circulating in closure in a clockwise sense about the core including the legs adjacent each minor aperture. The set or one state would be shown by having the outside portion including the outside leg adjacent the minor apertures shown as having a flux orientation in a clockwise sense, with the fiux orientation being in closure about the inner leg in the counter-clockwise sense. The primed set state necessary in accordance with standard MAD-R technique in order to transfer out of the core is achieved by accomplishing a localized reversal of flux in closure about a minor aperture with the balance of the core apart from the particular minor aperture remaining in the set state. This is depicted by flux arrows in closure in a counter-clockwise sense around the primed minor aperture; the remaining material of the core being in positive saturation in the inner leg and negative saturation in the outer leg with some path of closure across the core at points removed from the primed minor aperture.

Considering now core 10 to be initially in the clear state, an input by one of the windings shown in FIGURE 2a operates to set the core. The application of prime current represented by I on a priming winding such as 30 would then serve to prime the minor aperture threaded by such winding; in this instance, aperture No. 1. The application of advance current I on winding 39 would then operate to clear core 10, in the example switching the flux primed under coupling loop 20 into the clockwise sense, thereby producing a voltage on winding 20 in the polarity shown proportional to the rate of flux switched thereunder. In this general manner, minor aperture outputs may be provided at any of the apertures numbered 15. As will be explained hereinafter, nondestructive read-out may be accomplished by the use of RF drive applied in lieu of the prime windings shown. Additionally, major aperture output may be obtained from a winding such as 21 linking the major aperture 12. This, of course, does not entail priming and is usually obtained during read-in rather than during advance.

V1ewing now FIGURE 3 in conjunction with FIG- URES 2 and 2a, the operation of core 10 with respect to the various circuits shown thereon will now be described in terms of the transfer phenomena occurring dur ng the input and output phases of operation. In con unction with this consideration, it is useful to describe the phenomena in terms of normalized units of flux and voltage amplitudes. To simplify the description, the particular period of input and output is made identical for the diagram of FIGURE 3. It may be assumed that each of the windings shown in FIGURES 2 and 2a include but a single turn operating to produce and respond to the magnetomotive forces in the input and output cases. The practical variations from the idealized example utilized for the description of the invention are thought to be well understood by those skilled in the practice of the art.

Considering now FIGURE 3, there exists some quantity of inelastic flux which should be switched about a major path in order to provide a remanent state constituting a one input in order to provide a sufficient amount of flux switched per unit of time for a one output of proper level. There also exists some quantity of flux which is in fact switched during the input of a zero and the output of a zero due to the imperfect transmission of a zero level and due to switchable unsaturated material and elastic material which invariably exist in a core. Consider the normalized one flux unit shown in FIGURE 3, INPUT, to be the amount of remanent flux switched necessary to define the minimum permissible set or one condition to produce a voltage output of amplitudeA as shown in FIGURE 3, OUTPUT. In terms of core 10, this amount of flux would necessarily be switched in the inner leg about aperture 12 in the counter-clockwise sense during the input of a one. It will be understood that quantity less than the normalized one unit will be insufiicient to properly set the core and will produce an output less than A. Additionally, a flux input quantity greater than that of the normalized one will operate to switch more flux in the core than is necessary to define a full MAD set. This too is undesirable.

As a part of the phenomena of core operation, it has been found that for all practical purposes, the minimum cross-sectional area of a core establishes the quantity of inelastic flux which will be switched during standard major path clearing. The remaining material in other parts of the core unswitched by major path clearing is, however, switchable by localized MMFs applied about minor apertures. In prior art cores, this could operate to cause a loss of definition since there is extra material containing switchable flux in the core at all points other than the constricting section. The core geometry of invention puts this to use, however, by making the crosssectional area at aperture No. 5 the smallest cross-sectional area of the core with excess switchable material located in varying amounts at the other apertures for distinct input and output advantages. Considering now the flux quantity diagram shown in FIGURE 3, a proper input on winding 48 of FIGURE 2A will, because of the sizing of the cross-sectional area of the material encircled by winding 44, operate to set a normalized one unit in core 10. Since no excess inelastic switchable material exists at aperture No. 5, all switching will be about the core major path. There will occur no localized switching about aperture No. 5 due to unsaturated material. This is because the cross-sectional area at aperture No. 5 is the minimum cross-sectional area of the core and sized with respect to a standard transfer pulse of a standard rise time and amplitude. If a pulse which is either too large or applied at too great a rate is applied to winding 40, linking aperture No. 1, it could very well switch a greater quantity of flux as indicated in FIGURE 3, INPUT, for aperture No. 1 because of the additional material around aperture No. 1 as compared to the material about aperture No. 5. A substantial portion of the excess input flux will switch locally in a path about aperture No. 1, including material not negatively saturated by the preceding clearing MMF. An input pulse on winding 40 will thus produce a flux of a quantity which is clipped by localized switching to provide a set state approximately the desired one state. Input pulses to apertures No. 2 and 3 through windings 42 and 44 will be clipped to an extent as indicated in FIGURE 3, greater than that shown with respect to aperture No. 5, but substantially less than that shown with respect to aperture No. I. This is due to the fact that there is less switchable material located about apertures No. 2 and 3, in turn due to the relative material cross-sectional areas as compared to that about apertures No. 1 and 5. Flux inputs via winding 46 to aperture No. 4 will be clipped to an even greater extent as indicated in FIGURE 3, since aperture No. 4 has thereabout the greatest amount of excess switchable material. Inputs on winding 49 will, of course, not be clipped since there can be no localized switching.

The capability of clipping flux has a number of distinct advantages. In certain circuits, multi-aperture cores must be driven with different types of intelligence pulse supplies. Some are capable of producing carefully defined pulse amplitudes to represent the one and zero intelligence bits. Others, however, provide intelligence pulses which are so ill defined as to overset theparticular core driven thereby. This is particularly true with re spect sources subjected to power supply variations and with respect to zero input levels. It is, in fact, the principal use of clipping to reduce the zero level input rather than control the one level input. In certain other instances it is desirable to provide input aperture clipping periodically within a long bit-length shift register in order to prevent zero build-up wherein the gain mechanism of the MAD-R circuit tends to add a quantity of flux transferred with each transfer such that a zero input to the first core is boosted to a one level after a number of transfers. Core 10 thus provides, in the same core structure, the possibility of three distinct quantities of input clipping; a very substantial amount with respect to aperture N0. 4, a substantial amount with respect to aperture No. 1, with a lesser amount with respect to apertures No. 2 and 3, and little or no clipping with respect to aperture No. 5. Faced with a circuit application calling for some degree of clipping, one may merely select the aperture best suited to provide the amount of flux clipping calculated to be desirable by standard flux algebra techniques.

The relative sizing of the apertures No. I through No. 5 also inherently produces another elIect on the transfer mechanism of core 10. This is with respect to output wherein, because of the quantity of switchable flux available, a number of distinct output advantages may be achieved. Viewing now the various voltages depicted in FIGURE 3, OUTPUT, each associated with a given aperture, this may be explained in terms of switchable flux available about each aperture. As above pointed out, aperture No. 5 has the least amount of local switchable flux available since it is the constricting minor aperture next to which the cross-sectional area of material is less than any other cross-sectional area of the core. Because of this, the output provided on winding 28, shown in FIGURE 2, coupling aperture No. 5 will have an improved one-zero discrimination. The one level, as shown in FIGURE 3, OUTPUT, is somewhat reduced, but the zero level is quite substantially reduced such that the effective difference D between the one level and zero level is greater than that which would be achieved if aperture No. 5 did not have the constricting cross-sectional area of the core. For this reason, the one-zero discrimination is quite high, and aperture No. 5 is preferred in circuit applications wherein the discrimination is more important than maximum voltage amplitude. Typical circuits having this requirement include long bit-length shift registers as, for example, wherein there is a feed back loop or wherein the cores are numerous and the opportunity for zero buildup is increased. Other circuits requiring high discrimination include RF and other read-out applications interfaced with a voltage sensitive device.

The output available from aperture No. 4 is greatest with respect to maximum voltage amplitude, but onezero discrimination, shown as D, in FIGURE 3, OUT- PUT, is sacrificed. This is due to the excess switchable material available at the aperture which operates to produce a greater d/dt in the one case and also in the zero case. Aperture No. 4 is preferred in situations wherein high voltage levels are required, such as in certain types of heavy duty relays or in other instances wherein RF read-out is employed. Aperture No. 1 includes an intermediate amount of local switchable material to provide a substantial voltage level output with a onezero discrimination D in between that of apertures No. 4 and No. 5. Apertures No. 2 and No. 3 permit an even further intermediate voltage level and discrimination D and D lying between that of aperture No. 1 and aperture No. 5. As with input characteristics, a particular output aperture may be selected for a given circuit requirement.

Turning now to exemplary uses of the core of the invention, FIGURES 45a depict a two-core per bit shift register scheme showing in detail only the coupling windings pertinent to the core geometry. The remaining windings and the circuit in general may be as described in the above mentioned U.S. patent to J. P. Sweeney. Element 50 represents an insulating board made, for example, of phenolic sheet material slotted as at 52, to define two columns of core positions along the length of the board. With this arrangement the board is slotted such that the cores may be wedged within the slots and wired in an appropriate fashion and thereafter potted by epoxy or other potting compounds. The cores are arranged in O and E columns such that the usual ADV. O and ADV. E windings may be threaded through respective O and E core major apertures. This is shown generally in FIGURE 5, wherein an ADV. O winding 60 is shown threading the core column and an ADV. E winding 62 is shown threading the E core column with each winding terminated at a metallic terminal post indicated as 64. The advance-prime windings are thus threaded straight through appropriate columns of cores to simplify manufacturing procedures. In the embodiment of FIGURES 4-541, the cores are positioned in a relatively opposite orientation with the 0 cores having the apertures No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 protruding and exposed on top of the board and the apertures No. 2 and No. 3 similarly disposed relative to the bottom of the board. The .E cores have the apertures No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 extending from the bottom of the board and the apertures No. 2 and No. 3 extending from the top of the board. The shift register input, shown as winding 53, is threaded through an aperture No. 3 of the core 0 As above explained, this provides an intermediate amount of flux clipping into core 0 Aperture No. 5 has been selected as the output aperture for each of the O and E cores and thus the register would be expected to provide an intelligence transfer with minimum zero buildup. With aperture No. 5 selected as the output aperture for core 0 aperture No. 2 is utilized as the input aperture to core E coupled by a coupling loop 54 as shown. In the same manner a coupling loop 56 is threaded through aperture No. 5 of core 0 to aperture No. 2. of core E The transfer from core E to O is accomplished by a coupling loop 58 as shown in 5a also linking aperture No. 5 to aperture No. 2 of the respective cores. Thus, for a shift register having for example twenty O and twenty E cores, transfer between 0 and E cores may be accomplished as indicated with zero buildup minimized. It is to be noted that the apertures selected for core-to-core coupling loops are disposed at positions readily facilitating wiring and that the core geometry and orientation makes this possible.

In the event that a parallel transfer from either the O or E columns of cores is desired, the No. 3 apertures are readily available for such use, except with respect to core 0 The input winding 53 could, in such case, be changed to a major leg input winding since the coupling loop arrangement would assure minimum zero buildup.

FIGURE 6 shows a further alternative use of the novel core geometry of the invention featuring a core-to-core transfer from aperture No. 2 to aperture No. 3 as by a coupling loop 76 threaded between core 0 and E The cores it) are fitted into a board similar to that described with respect to FIGURES 4-5a. With the orientation shown in FIGURE 6, the No. 5 apertures are placed to the outside of the board for convenience in providing RF read-out windings such as the winding 74 shown coupling aperture No. 5 of core 0 The read-out circuit may be as taught in US. patent application, Ser. No. 249,466, filed Jan. 4, 1963, in the name of John C. Mallinson and l. P. Sweeney. The utility device shown as lamp 76 could, alternatively, be any one of a number of different utility devices. With the orientation shown in FfG-URE 6, the apertures No. 5 are aligned for insertion of RF windings as well as being aligned for insertion of advance and bias windings. The selection of a transfer from aperture No. 2 to aperture No. 3 provides an intermediate voltage level transfer with intermediate clipping between cores 0 and E. This choice of apertures has been found to be preferred in circuit applications where it is desirable to have the relatively high discrimination read-out available at aperture No. 5.

FIGURES 7 and 8 show, respectively, a further possible orientation of the novel core of the invention. The cores are spaced in the manner shown in FIGURES 5 and 5a, but as is apparent, the O and E cores are made to overlap such that apertures of each core are in alignment. In FIGURE 7 the 'No. 3 apertures of the 0 cores are made to be in alignment with the No. 2 apertures of the E cores. The coupling loop transfer arrangement could therefore be from the No. 3 aperture of the 0 cores to the No. 2 apertures of the E cores. This scheme has considerable advantage with respect to the use of common drive turns where such is advisable.

The core orientation shown in PEGURE 8 places the No. 2 apertures of the 0 cores in alignment with the No. 3 apertures of the E cores and the No. 3 apertures of the 0 cores in alignment with the No. 2 apertures of the E cores. An arrangement of this type facilitates not only the use of common drive turns, but also bilateral shift register circuits having coupling loops arranged such that information may be transferred from 0 cores, as for example from O to E and then, through selective priming, transferred in the opposite direction, as for example from core E to core 0 Turning nOW to FIGURE 9, there is shown an arrangement of cores exemplifying the broad utility of the invention. Each of the cores shown in FIGURE 9 may be considered to be the cores 10 heretofore described, and, as will be apparent, may be adapted to distinctly different functions through the choice of particular apertures. The circuit of FIGURE 9 represents a system adapted to manipulate trains of binary intelligence supplied by input devices such as 80 and 82 having distinctly different input characteristics developed at non-coincident times. Device 80 represents intelligence message output from a telemetry receiver wherein the one-zero pulse level control is fair. Device 82 represents a message address source wherein the one-zero pulses are ill defined. The core 84 is a receiver core adapted to first store the intelligence from sources 80 and 82 and then selectively feed distinct portions thereof into appropriate associated storage devices and 92 which in turn drive associated utility devices 94 and 96. From the input requirements, the choice of input aperture No. 1 is dictated for source 80 and aperture No. 5 for source 82. The input from 80 will be clipped to a limited degree with respect to flux input and the input from device 82 will be clipped quite substantially with respect to flux input to core 84.

In order to constantly monitor the instantaneous intelligence state of input core 84, a static type of read-out is included as shown threading aperture No. 5. This may be of the type disclosed in th above mentioned application in Mallinson and Sweeney. Read-outs of this type may have many uses in intelligence handling systems ranging from providing visible warning of approaching trains of 9 intelligence to operating auxiliary circuits in accordance with the instantaneous intelligence content being monitored. The choice of aperture No. 5 for RF read-out provides excellent discrimination for the reasons above stated.

Upon command or based upon intelligence content, the intelligence train being fed through core 84 may be directed into either one of two shift registers such as 90 and 92. This is achieved through the use of prime steering techniques wherein one or the other of two minor apertures common to core 84 is primed such that the intelligence is transferred out of the primed aperture and not out of the unprimed aperture. Aperture-s No. 2 and 3, being substantially identical, are preferably used to provide such branching since essentially identical signals are thus provided to each of the available registers.

In the circuit of FIGURE 8, the operation might be as follows. Considering that parallel intelligence trains are sampled and fed to input devices 80 and 82, respectively, to provide inputs to 84. The provision of no priming pulses supplied by 86 or 88 will means that no intelligence is fed out of core 34 although the instantaneous intelligence state thereof will be made apparent through the RF read out provided at aperture N0. 5. Subsequently, upon command or automatically if desired, either prime source 86 or 88 may be energized to steer the intelligence train existing in 84 to registers 90 or 92. Thus, if 86 is energized, intelligence will be transferred from 84 to core of register 90. Thereafter the intelligence train will be advanced through register 90 from cores O to E to 0 etc. At any time thereafter, the deenergization of 86 and energization of 88 will operate to steer the remaining intelligence train into 92 and along the register from 0 to E1, tc.

The output cores E may necessarily drive difierent types of devices. Thus the output core E of register 99 may drive a utility device requiring a defined onezero discrimination. Aperture No. 5 would, of course, be selected for this purpose. The output core E of register 92 might, on the other hand, drive a relay wherein the one voltage level requirement is significant. Thus the output aperture might be selected as aperture No. 4 with RF read-out. The provision of excess material about aperture No. 4 would produce a maximum possible voltage output level.

The particular core geometry chosen to exemplify the invention includes five minor apertures of distinctive characteristics. It is contemplated that similar core constructions may be utilized extending the utility of the core. For example, it is contemplated that a six minor aperture core may be employed having four apertures, each similar to apertures No. 2 and No. 3 with respect to the remainder of the apertures, and two apertures relatively similar to aperture No. 1 and aperture No. 5. It is also contemplated that the magnetic core may be formed from other materials than hard-fired ferrite, including the socalled vinyl binder stamped core structures.

The particular circuits shown are by way of example, and the novel core of the invention has wide utility with other types of circuits. For example, the input windings shown in FIGURE 2a could alternatively be on the outer legs adjacent each aperture with the core employed in four stroke transfer circuits rather than in the two stroke MAD-R scheme shown.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

Iclaim:

1. An improved multi-aperture magnetic core of saturable magnetic material having a centrally disposed major i 10 aperture and a plurality of minor apertures substantially equally spaced about the periphery of the core with at least three of the minor apertures of different diameters to define cross-sectional areas of core material at said three minor apertures, each of a distinctly difierent flux capacity.

2. An improved multi-aperture magnetic core having a centrally disposed major aperture and a plurality of minor apertures spaced about the periphery of the core with the cross-sectional area of magnetic material adjacent one minor aperture less than any other cross-sectional are-a of the core, another of said minor apertures having a crosssectional area of adjacent magnetic material substantially greater than any other cross-sectional area of magnetic material of the core and a further minor aperture having a cross-sectional area of adjacent magnetic material substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of magnetic material through portions of the core between minor apertures.

3. The core of claim 2 including at least a further minor aperture having a cross-sectional area of adjacent magnetic material greater than that of said one minor aperture and less than that of the second mentioned minor aperture.

4. The core of claim 2, wherein there are two minor apertures having cross-sectional areas of adjacent magnetic material which are substantially equal and greater than the cross-sectional area of magnetic material of said one aperture, but less than the cross-sectional area of magnetic material of the second mentioned aperture.

5. An improved multi-aperture magnetic core of saturable magnetic material including a centrally disposed major aperture and a plurality of minor apertures, a first of the minor apertures defining a material cross-sectional area less than any other cross-sectional area of the core, a second minor aperture defining a material cross-sectional area greater than any other cross-sectional area of the core, third and fourth minor apertures defining crosssectional areas each greater than that of said first minor aperture and each less than that of the said second minor aperture, a fifth minor aperture defining a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of each of the said third and fourth minor apertures, but less than the cross-sectional area of said second minor aperture.

6. The core of claim 5' wherein the material about at least one minor aperture is shaped ,to define at least an eared portion extending from the periphery of the core body.

7. The core of claim 6 wherein the eared portions of the said first, third and fourth apertures extend outwardly of the core body and the eared portions of the said second and fifth apertures extend inwardly of the core body.

8. The core of claim 5, wherein the said first, second, third, fourth and fifth apertures are relatively equally spaced about the core periphery in the numbered order of identification.

9. An improved multi-aperture magnetic core having a closed major path of magnetic material of a given remnant flux capacity, a plurality of localized smaller paths of magnetic material within said major path, each having closed paths about one of a plurality of minor apertures piercing said core, each of at least three of said smaller paths having a remnant flux capacity diiferent from the other.

10. An improved multi-aperture magnetic core having a centrally disposed major aperture and a plurality of at least three minor apertures, each having different flux capacities defined by the magnetic material thereabout, one of said minor apertures being adapted to be driven by an applied MMF to produce on a winding threading such aperture an output signal of high one-zero discrimination, a second of said apertures being adapted to be driven by applied MMF to provide on a winding threading said second aperture an output signal of relatively high voltage level, and a third of said apertures being adapted to clip substantial flux quantities with respect to flux input signals applied on a Winding threading said third minor aperture.

11. An improved magnetic core formed of saturable magnetic material capable of being driven by applied MMF into distinct stable states of magnetization representative of intelligence including a major aperture defining major legs and a plurality of minor apertures defining minor legs, the cross-sectional area of magnetic material of the minor legs of at least one minor aperture slightly less than the cross sectional area of magnetic material in any major leg, the cross-sectional area of magnetic material of the minor legs of a second minor aperture being greater than the crss-sectional area of magnetic material of any major leg and the cross-sectional area of magnetic material of the minor legs of a third minor aperture being substantially equal to the crosssectional area of magnetic material of a major leg whereby the said core includes a number of possible input or output winding positions to provide controlled flux input clipping and controlled one-zero discrimination output.

12. An improved multi-aperture core device including at least one core having a major aperture coupled to a source of MMP adapted to clear the core by driving the material thereof into negative saturation, a plurality of at least three minor apertures disposed about each major aperture having distinct flux capacities such that separate windings linking the minor apertures will, responsive to the core being cleared, produce an output at one minor aperture of a substantially higher voltage level than that of any of the other minor apertures, and produce at another of said minor apertures an output having a greater one-zero discrimination than any of the other apertures, and produce at the remaining apertures, outputs of either a voltage level or one-zero discrimination intermediate that produced at said one and another minor apertures.

13. An improved multi-aperture magnetic core device including at least two cores, each having a centrally disposed major aperture and a plurality of minor apertures about the periphery of the core with at least one of the minor apertures defining the position of the greatest crosssectional area of magnetic material of the core, a further minor aperture defining the position of the least crosssectional area of magnetic material of the core and at least two other minor apertures defining the position of equal cross-sectional areas of magnetic material, means linking the cores adapted to drive the cores into clear states of negative saturation to advance intelligence from core to core, means linking a given core to an adjacent core to transfer intelligence therebetween responsive to the given core being driven into the clear state of negative saturation.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said coupling means threads the said further minor aperture of the given core and one of thetwo other minor apertures of an adjacent core.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the coupling means threads one of theother minor apertures of the given core and one of the otherapertures of an adjacent core.

16. The device otclaim 15, wherein for at least a given core the said further minor aperture is threaded by a Winding adapted to apply an RF drive MMP and by a coupling winding connected to an output utility device 17. The device of claim 14, wherein the said cores'are divided into parallel column-s of given and adjacent cores, with the major aperture of each given core of a column and each adjacent core of a column in axial alignment and with at least one minor aperture of the cores of both columns in axial alignment.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein two minor apertures of the cores of both columns are in axial alignment.

No references cited.

BERNARD KONICK, Primary Examiner.

R. MORGANSTERN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. AN IMPROVED MULTI-APERTURE MAGNETIC CORE HAVING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED MAJOR APERTURE AND A PLURALITY OF MINOR APERTURES SPACED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE CORE WITH THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL ADJACENT ONE MINOR APERTURE LESS THAN ANY OTHER CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF THE CORE, ANOTHER OF SAID MINOR APERTURES HAVING A CROSSSECTIONAL AREA OF ADJACENT MAGNETIC MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN ANY OTHER CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL OF THE CORE AND A FURTHER MINOR APERTURE HAVING A CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF ADJACENT MAGNETIC MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL THROUGH PORTIONS OF THE CORE BETWEEN MINOR APERTURES. 